35 moments: Gokaiger
by Little Goose Girl
Summary: There are 100,000 tiny moments that go into making you who you are. Pre-canon, post-canon, sometimes AU, and everything in between.  Fleeting appearances of Marv/Ahim, Joe/Ahim, Doc/Luka, Marv/Luka, Ahim/Doc, and possibly more.
1. Space

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Super Sentai or anything associated with it.

**Rating: **K+ but subject to change.

**Summary:** There are 100,000 tiny moments that go into making you who you are. Pre-canon, post-canon, AU, and everything in between. Fleeting appearances of Marv/Ahim, Joe/Ahim, Doc/Luka, Marv/Luka, Ahim/Doc, and possibly more.

**A/N: **Hi all! I'm still having no luck with my other stories, so in the meantime, I'll be working on this to try to stimulate my creative juices. It'll just be a collection of drabbles, ficlets and one-shots. Essentially, so I don't clog the list of stories with all my rubbish. And for the record, Nav'i is a female for the sake of this story. I don't feel comfortable calling her "it" (even though Nav'i is a robot), and I know there's a debate about gender. At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter, so I've gone with "she" for syntax's sake, and for my own peace of mind. Anywho, enough rambling—this is nearly longer than the first chapter. Hope you enjoy!

**35 MOMENTS: GOKAIGER**

_**Moment 1**_

**Because space is a pretty big place when you think about it.**

The bird was not the worst companion he could have, and honestly—it was better than nothing. It was just that it sometimes got quiet. A little too quiet.

There were even some desperate moments when he thought he could gladly have welcomed that traitorous Basco back on board. It was then he had to remind himself that, if not for Basco, he wouldn't be in this position in the first place.

If Basco wasn't _Basco_, he could have his own little family back. Dysfunctional as it was, it had been the only one he'd known for the longest times. AkaRed had taken him in, helped him get that giant leap closer to realising his goal.

But AkaRed was not here, and never would be again. Basco was goodness knows where, probably out stabbing someone else in the back.

So it was just him, and the bird. Sometimes, he'd pick a fight with Nav'i, just to have something to do.

He knew Nav'i hated it when he called her "bird", but there was no simpler way to work her up into a frenzy. She'd squawk at him. They'd exchange insults. She'd insist he call her by her name. Then it would stop and silence would again take up residence.

And then he'd pick another fight. After all, he could hardly let a bird tell him what to do.

He had too much pride for that.

**Voilà. That's a taste of what this fanfic is going to be like. As always, I am open to suggestions if anyone wants to read something in particular! I'm not really doing plots here, but if there's any particular aspect/idea of a character you'd like to see explored, just let me know :-)**

**Little Goose**


	2. Unworthiness

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Super Sentai or anything associated with it.

**Rating: **K+ but subject to change.

**35 MOMENTS: GOKAIGER**

_**Moment 2**_

**Because unworthiness is his friend.**

It was not as though he had a choice back then, but that was not how his conscience chose to remember it. Join the army or die: that had been the gist of the recruiting drive. And for a time, it had seemed like a good idea.

Bring peace and unity to the universe. Let's all exist in harmony.

They hadn't told him that the method to achieve that included total domination. Taking over whole planets by force, destroying those that dared to refuse to submit.

Slaughtering children.

His first task. His failure as one of _them_ was his success as a citizen of the universe. But still, those months in training clung to him like a trace, a curse he would never be rid of.

For that fleeting time, and though under a delusion, he had been a part of them. And that was why he told himself he didn't deserve it. Any of it. He didn't acknowledge dreams for himself these days, but made it his mission to help Marvelous achieve his dream as a sort of repayment.

To Marvelous, for saving his life. Freeing him. Taking him on board.

To the universe, as a "sorry". Sorry he had once been part of the group that was single-handedly destroying the galaxy. Even if he had not done any of it himself.

It was the reason he helped Marvelous now. He no longer had his own life or ambitions, especially now that Sid's spirit was free. It was all in service of the others. He would help them as a way of repaying his debt.

There were times when the shadows of new dreams crept in to the corners of his mind, taking up residency in the crevices. He'd long since learned to ignore them.

Maybe, with time, he could forget he'd ever dreamt them.

As he could never reach them.


	3. Games

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Super Sentai or anything associated with it.

**Rating: **K+ but subject to change.

**A/N:** This chapter is inspired by a scene from episode 9, though set much later (as judged by Gai's presence). This was the moment I fell in love with Doc and all his odd, quirky ways.

**35 MOMENTS: GOKAIGER**

_**Moment 3**_

**Because making it a game makes it seem less real.**

GokaiSilver happened to glance over at that particular moment. His jaw dropped.

"How—how did you manage that?" he asked. "We've only been here 30 seconds."

Somehow, between arriving, transforming and being attacked by the Zangyack, GokaiGreen had found time to arrange a bunch of branches in teepee formation, with his gun hanging suspended by a rope.

And GokaiGreen was fifty metres away, separated from his weapon by a sea of Zangyack.

If Doc heard Gai, he didn't answer. He danced his way through the Zangyack; dodging, weaving and flailing, sometimes striking a Zangyack as if by accident. Often tripping them up. Scooting between them as they tied themselves in knots. As he drew nearer the gun, he launched himself forward. Alas, the Zangyack caught him in his stage dive, carrying him back.

Time for plan B, then. Incapacitate the Zangyack.

He drew out his sword, using the hilt like a baton as he rapped the foot soldiers on the head. It did little more than momentarily stun them, but that was all the opening he needed.

When a gap opened up in the crowd around him, he again dived forward, this time sliding under the teepee's gaping canopy.

"Quickly, quickly," he muttered to himself with childish impatience as he struggled to untie the gun. As he freed it, he cried out in glee.

Getting to his feet, he faced the approaching Zangyack. "I win!" he exclaimed. "Bang bang bang bang bang bang!" He always felt the need to add his own sound effects, in part taking away the harsh reality of actual gunfire.

That game over, he ran and hid. Hide and seek, he could handle that. And so what if the Zangyack didn't know to look for him?

But look for him they did. When the first pair neared the tree he was hiding up, he made his move. Leaping down on to the shoulders of one, crushing it to the ground. He leapt up, catching the next in a headlock before it could alert the other Zangyack.

And giving it a noogie. Just for good measure, you know.

_Do what you can._

He didn't have to be the hero like Marvelous, Joe or Luka. He didn't have the patience and persistence of Ahim to perfect the art. He wasn't… well, he wasn't Gai, that was for sure.

He didn't like violence, but he did like games. After all, games weren't life and death.

There was always another chance.

**Ah, Doc. You make me laugh, but I do feel a little sorry for you sometimes.**

**Remember, if you have any suggestions/requests/criticisms/comments, I always love to read them :-)**

**Little Goose.**


	4. Eyes

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Super Sentai or anything associated with it.

**Rating: **K+ but subject to change.

**35 MOMENTS: GOKAIGER**

_**Moment 4**_

**Because her eyes see everything.**

Her eyes were sharp, they saw everything. Even when they thought she was sleeping, she'd keep her lids open the barest of margins, and she took in everything.

She saw the way _he_ and _she_ would deliberately antagonise each other, just to get a rise out of one another. Never so happy as when they were bickering.

_Him_ and _her_ never seemed to speak to each other more than absolutely necessary, but their looks were worth a million words. As different as they were, as unlikely a pair as they were to the untrained eye, she knew there was something special there. Whether they knew or not was the question. Even if they did, she doubted they'd ever act on it.

Unless someone made them.

_The other one_ was the confounding variable. So similar in disposition to _her_, but _she_ was the one who brought out that spark. _The other one_ and _her_ seemed already the old married couple, but _she_ was the soul mate.

Strange, how strongly those many opposites attracted. _Him_ and _her_, _she_ and _the other one_. Yet there was a case for how naturally the similarities drew others together too.

She was sure she would never figure them out entirely.

Least of all _the new one_. Such a strange, alien being. Entirely too enthusiastic, she thought. There were times, though fleeting, when she caught this one gazing at the others with the adoration and joy of a child. She supposed _the new one_ still was, in a way.

But she saw in _the new one_ a bit of all the others, and perhaps something greater. He could be the diplomat, like _her_. He was heroic, as natural a leader as _he_ was. He had that bit of a spark and natural sense of justice that _she_ had (though _she _would never lay claim to it). He was a cook, a little clownish, just as _the other one_ was. He was a strong and skilled fighter, a protector, just like _him_.

She found it interesting. She'd read the papers, too. She knew what the Earthlings thought of this group. That they were, in some way, paying homage to all the Super Sentai who had come before them.

In a strange way, it was almost as though _the new one_ was paying homage to _them_—the Gokaigers. Yet he also stood in a class of his own.

Strange, and irrelevant. It all was. But still, these thoughts and ponderings helped her while away the hours as she sat there, perched on the back of the captain's chair.

Until the next disaster would strike.

**Yes, just what we all need, a convoluted, sorta-cryptic-not-really addition. Gah. To those who have sent through requests, I promise I will get to them :-) I'm just trying to give all the characters some exposure before I start doing second chapters for any of them.**

**Little Goose**


	5. Travelling

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Super Sentai or anything associated with it.

**Rating: **K+ but subject to change.

**35 MOMENTS: GOKAIGER**

_**Moment 5**_

**Because it's a long way to travel, between planets.**

"Is it just me, or does Gai seem more … insane, lately?" Doc asked as he served dinner. Only Marvelous, Joe and Luka were at the table.

"Definitely more insane," Joe said calmly, slowly, pulling his plate towards himself.

"Definitely more loud," Luka seconded.

"Have you seen what he's done to the spare cabin?" Doc asked, taking a seat.

"What's he been doing to my ship?" Marvelous demanded around a mouthful of food.

"He turned it into an island resort," Luka said, rolling her eyes.

"Of sorts," Joe added, sounding bored by this line of conversation. Indeed, Gai had transformed one of the spare private cabins into an Earth away from Earth. He'd found a large stash of cloth—not realising it was the emergency sail—and cut a large rectangle out, turning it into a hammock. He'd smuggled some rocks on board the ship when they were still on earth, and now had painted the larger one yellow, calling it an island. The smaller one was painted green. He called it turtle. And he'd stolen Joe's blue bed sheets for the water. Joe didn't realise they were his sheets yet, but would certainly know when he tried to go to bed that night.

"At least while he's in there, he's quiet," Marvelous said sagely.

The hysterics were another key concern—at least for those on board who cared enough to be concerned. Marvelous, Joe and Luka, however, had taken to betting on what form his next episode would take.

"It's gonna be the screaming next time, I can tell," Marvelous said, continuing to shovel food in his mouth with one hand, while reaching into a coat pocket with the other. He pulled out two small scraps of paper, with the words _laundry_ and _repairs_ written on them.

"It's been a while since he's done the bawling his eyes out thing," Joe contended, placing _kitchen assistant _and _sweeping _on the table.

"I hope he does that really cool silence thing again," Luka chirped in. "I swear he didn't blink or breathe for nearly an hour yesterday."

As she placed her chore cards on the table the others cried out in objection.

"Rule number 76!" Marvelous shouted. "No placing the _Gai minder_ card on the table! It's non-transferable."

"We all have to do our shift, Luka," Doc scolded.

"Why do we even need to have that stupid chore at all?" Luka scowled, replacing the scrap of paper with one that said _dishes_.

"Because otherwise Ahim is stuck with him all the time," Joe said, resuming his meal.

"She _is_ the only one who actually cares about his affliction," Doc agreed. "She's right, of course. Space madness affects the best of us."

"It's never affected me," Marvelous said stoutly, again with a full mouth.

"Like he said," Luka jammed her thumb in Doc's direction. "It happens to the _best_ of us."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Marvelous challenged, getting to his feet.

Before anyone could so much as blink, it had erupted into a full-on shouting match between the captain and the lookout. Doc had brought his knees up to his chest, shoved his fingers in his ears and was rocking himself. Joe calmly continued to eat his meal as though nothing was going on around him.

Things only stopped when a flustered-looking Ahim dashed up the stairs and into the main cabin.

"Minna-san," she said, sounding only slightly breathless. "Can I please ask for your assistance?"

"What's the matter, Ahim?" Luka asked, frowning in concern.

"It's Gai-san. He's having hysterics again and I can't get him to calm down."

"What sort of hysterics?" Luka asked too innocently with a furtive glance in Marvelous and Joe's direction.

"I tried to bring Gai-san up here for dinner, but he ran away. He has squashed his face up against one of the portholes. He's hugging the wall."

"No contest?" Marvelous asked, turning to Luka and Joe. Ahim tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"Is he doing anything else?" Joe asked.

"Is he silent, not moving?" Luka questioned. "Crying? Shouting?"

"Gai-san is sobbing a fair bit," Ahim said slowly. "There are certainly tears."

"Damn it!" Marvelous cursed, slumping in his chair in defeat.

"I'll come help you," Joe said, unable to keep a smug smirk off his face.

"Dibs on the sweeping!" Luka called, reaching for that scrap of paper as she took her own chore cards back. Joe was hurrying Ahim down the stairs before she figured out what was going on.

"Guess that means I'm your assistant in the kitchen this week, Hakase," Marvelous grinned, clapping Doc around the shoulders in a one-armed hug.

"Luka, can't you swap with him?" Doc whined, his face contorted in a pained, pleading expression.

"Sorry Hakase," Luka said brightly. "Rule 59: not swapsies."

"Why?" Doc whined, begging the ceiling for an answer. "If Marvelous eats all the food before it makes its way to the table, you've only got yourself to blame."

"That's easy to fix!" Luka smiled at the mechanic. "Just make more food!"

As Luka and Marvelous returned to their meals, Doc continued to frown and whinge.

"How did I end up with more work this week? I wasn't even part of the bet!"

**Ah, I do hope we get a movie like **_**Shinkenger Returns**_** to show the antics the pirates get up to while searching for the second greatest treasure in the universe. It would be epic.**

**Anyway, hope you enjoyed!**

**Little Goose**


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